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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · leaves · hide · spring · suit · object · bore · bat

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — to fit
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. suit — in cards
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. spring — of water
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com